A 23-year-old Irish man got a light sentence for carrying weapons, including a gun and sword, after claiming they were airsoft replicas used on his family’s farm.

A 23-year-old County Donegal man, Aaron McNutt, was given a lenient sentence after being stopped in July 2023 with multiple weapons in his car, including a handgun, rifles, a sword, and axe. He pleaded guilty to charges related to possessing realistic imitation firearms and an unlicensed handgun. His defense said the items were mostly airsoft replicas used for target practice on his family’s farm during the pandemic and were accidentally left in the car. Most weapons were under the one Joule threshold for airsoft guns, though a few slightly exceeded it. McNutt had no prior record, cooperated with police, and expressed remorse. Judge John Aylmer, noting the lack of malicious intent and the case’s low severity, granted a conditional discharge, warning of a €500 fine per count if he reoffends, with the case to be reviewed in June 2026.